The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : NRIs in the U.S. honour Chief Minister

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Wednesday, Sep 03, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

NRIs in the U.S. honour Chief Minister

S. Rajendran

We will provide all support in establishing a business of your choice: Yeddyurappa

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa with representatives of the Indian community at a civic reception hosted in his honour at Atlanta city in the U.S.

BANGALORE: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Monday called upon Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) settled in the United States to invest in Karnataka and said the State Government would provide all the support that they required in establishing a business of their choice here.

On the last lap of his week-long tour of the United States, the Chief Minister was given a civic reception by Indians settled in Atlanta.

Mr. Yeddyurappa told The Hindu that he was overwhelmed by the response that he had received from the Indian community. He said it was not Kannadigas alone but also people from all regions of India settled in the U.S. who had expressed a desire to visit the State and invest in Karnataka. Several of them also sought a one-to-one meeting with the Chief Minister.

He said, “I never believed that there could be such a response to a visiting Chief Minister. People want to know all about what is happening in the State, particularly in Bangalore. I have given them a vivid picture and requested them to join the Government in its endeavour to bring about an all-round development of the State. They have assured me of their cooperation. Over a 1,000 Indians were present in each of the major meetings despite their preoccupations”.

In his address at Atlanta and later in Georgia where he attended a meeting organised by the Georgia Indo-American Chamber of the Commerce, Mr. Yeddyurappa said, “This is an opportunity for me to invite businessmen from the U.S. to come to Karnataka, one of the vibrant States of India, and set up their operations there for mutual benefit. Karnataka with its strong heritage, well-established administrative structure, good reputation and potential to raise resources is in a better position to lead industrial development in the country.”

He said it is well known that Karnataka has taken a leading step in several industrial and technical initiatives earning the tag of being a technology-savvy State. Bangalore has exhibited its supremacy in the IT and BT sector, nanotechnology or any knowledge-related area. “Our Government came to power recently with the vision and determination of creating a strong and vibrant State and our agenda is development,” he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said a new industrial policy is being formulated to make the State more investor friendly and as part of the policy, the focus will be on inclusive growth. The quality of human resources in the State has the potential to put the State in the forefront of the developed regions in the country. “It is proposed to identify 5,000 to 10,000 acres of land in the districts based on the resources available for the industrial zones,” he said.

He said, given the diversity in Karnataka, it has so much to offer to every investor, including an investor-friendly Government — with simplified procedures for project approval; salubrious climate, congenial environment, rich culture, and cosmopolitan lifestyle; good connectivity and logistic support for investments; excellent telecommunication network and optional fibre connectivity; good law and order environment, best industrial relations and lowest man-days lost; and more than 100 world renowned research and development organisations.

Minister for Housing and Muzrai S.N. Krishnaiah Setty, Chief Secretary to the State Government, Sudhakar Rao and Secretary to the Chief Minister, Lakshminarayan, who were present, were also honoured by the NRI community.

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